A battery cycler is test equipment that performs repeated charge/discharge cycles to characterize battery performance, efficiency, and lifespan. Modern cycling is commonly done with bidirectional DC source/sink systems that charge and discharge while monitoring test parameters over time.

A battery cycling test is repeated charging and discharging used to evaluate cycle life, capacity/efficiency trends, and performance validation under controlled conditions. Typical setups can use programmable power supplies and loads (or integrated systems) plus automation/data logging across many cycles.

AMETEK Programmable Power provides bidirectional regenerative battery cycling solutions through the Sorensen™ Mi-BEAM, Mi-BEAM Power Rack and i-BEAM platforms. The portfolio supports modular R&D systems, integrated rack-level battery testing and customized high-power or multichannel applications.

👉 Request a Quote

A battery cell cycler is typically used for smaller DUTs (cells/modules), while a battery pack cycler is designed for higher voltage/current pack-level testing. Pack-level cycling commonly benefits from regenerative bidirectional systems to reduce wasted discharge energy and cooling load in high-power labs.

A battery cycler system is used for charge/discharge testing, lifecycle analysis, and qualification of energy storage systems. AMETEK Programmable Power highlights bidirectional operation and seamless transitions between source and sink modes for cycling workflows.

Bidirectional operation allows one platform to both charge (source) and discharge (sink) a battery without switching instruments. In regenerative designs, discharge energy can be returned to the AC grid rather than dissipated as heat, improving lab efficiency and cost.

An EV battery cycler is cycling test equipment designed for higher power and pack-level test needs in electric vehicle development and validation. AMETEK Programmable Power positions Mi‑BEAM and i‑BEAM for EV and other demanding sectors, emphasizing regenerative bidirectional cycling for efficient testing.

Yes - AMETEK Programmable Power lists Mi‑BEAM with voltage up to 2,000 V, and the i‑BEAM battery cycler page lists voltage up to 1,500 V (model/config dependent). High-voltage battery cycling commonly uses bidirectional regenerative architectures to manage charge/discharge energy efficiently.

A regenerative battery pack test system recovers energy during discharge and returns it to the grid instead of wasting it as heat. AMETEK’s Battery Cycler category highlights regenerative energy recovery up to 96% as part of its cycling solution positioning.

Choose Mi-BEAM for a modular 4U platform with 80 V to 2,000 V output, current up to ±1,000 A per unit and expansion from 10 kW to multi-megawatt parallel systems. Choose Mi-BEAM Power Rack when the application requires an integrated 42U rack with up to 262.5 kW and ±7,000 A per rack, built-in rack safety features and expansion to 8.6 MW. Choose i-BEAM for customized high-power or multichannel testing with 5 V to 1,500 V output, up to ±1,200 A per system and power up to 650 kW per system, with parallel scalability up to 5 MW.

👉 Request a Quote | Talk to an Engineer

Battery cycling tests typically track voltage, current, and performance change over repeated cycles to evaluate degradation and reliability. Cycling methods often include defined charge/discharge sequences (e.g., CC/CV approaches) and automated logging for capacity/efficiency analysis.

Regenerative cycling returns absorbed discharge energy to the facility grid rather than dissipating it only as heat. This can reduce net facility energy consumption and the cooling required for long-duration or high-power battery cycling. Regenerative efficiency depends on the selected platform and operating conditions.

Request a Quote | Talk to an Engineer

Explore Sorensen™ Mi-BEAM, Mi-BEAM Power Rack and i-BEAM bidirectional regenerative battery cyclers for cell, module, pack, EV, aerospace, energy-storage, R&D, qualification and production testing.

A high-voltage battery cycler supports higher pack voltages and power levels for EV pack and system-level testing. Industry descriptions of HV cyclers commonly emphasize regenerative bidirectional source/load capability and modular scaling for high-power labs.

A bidirectional cycler can switch between source (charge) and sink (discharge) modes in one unit, eliminating reconnection and multiple instruments. Absorbed discharge energy is often regenerated back to the AC grid, enabling more efficient cycling workflows.

Automation matters for repeatable profiles, long-run stability, and integration into production or qualification test stands. i‑BEAM lists integration/control options such as VNC over Ethernet, Modbus, CAN, EtherCAT, Profinet, LabVIEW, and MATLAB/Simulink, which are useful for advanced test environments.

Yes. Mi-BEAM systems scale up to 8.6 MW+ through parallel operation. Mi-BEAM Power Rack provides up to 262.5 kW and ±7,000 A per rack and scales up to 8.6 MW. i-BEAM provides up to 650 kW per system, scales up to 5 MW in parallel and supports current up to ±1,200 A per system and ±2,400 A in parallel.

Mi-BEAM Power Rack includes rack-level and branch circuit breakers, Emergency Power Off, CE marking and NRTL certification. An optional isolation relay chassis provides output isolation and polarity detection for supported configurations.

AMETEK Programmable Power positions battery cyclers for R&D, production, and qualification testing. Their category page explicitly mentions use in EV, aerospace, industrial, and defense, supported by bidirectional and regenerative cycling design.